The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-16
HORRIBLE RAILWAY WRECK
A Grand Trunk Excursion Train Runs
Into a Michigan Central Oil Train.
The Cars at Once Take Fire and Nine of the
Passengers Are Burned to Death Almost
in Sight of Hundreds of Bystanders

ST. THOMAS, Ont, July ia terrible acci.
dent occurred at the crossing of the Grand
Trunk and Michigan Central,in this city, about
o'clock this evening. An excursion train on the
Grand Trunk from Port Stanley, ran into
passing freight train on the Michigan Central.
made up of a number of cars laden with OIL
The engine crashed into once of these cars and
the oil instantly took fire and burned with
great fierceness, communicating to the cars on
both trains and extending to Grifins warehouse,
coal and lime sheds, adjoining the track on the
west, and John Campbells dwelling on the
east all of which were burned to the ground,
with their contents. Engineer Donnelly. Of the
excursion train. was burned in the wreck; his
fireman jumped and escaped with slight is-
iuries. The forward of the excursion train
was filled with passengers, who made frantic
efforts to escape, but Notwithstanding hundreds
of brave and willing hands were Immediately at
work to assist in their escape. it is feared
number of lives have been lost ana that they
will be burned beyond recognition before their
bodies can be got out of the wreck.
Ats o'clock, when thousands Of people were
crowding around the burning pile, one of the
oil tanks on the cars suddenly exploded, throw
ing hundreds to the ground with great force
and scattering fire in all directions, and severe
iy, perhaps fatally injuring many.
AT $50 o'clock nine bodies were taken out
They were burned to a crisp.
1t is impossible to ascertain with any certain
" the names of those lost in the reck until the
arrival of the late train from Port Stanley.
There are many conflicting rumors but it seems
almost Ger tain that engineer III. Donnelly; Mr..
Zealand, clerk in j. q w. Nickelborough's dry
goods store and child, and the wife and child of
James Smithers, dry goods merchant, were
burned to death, Mrs. Zealand was got out
badly burned.
Among those injured by the explosion are the
following: Herman Pomsford, brick-layer, it is
feared fatally; Nelson Gadsby. blacksmith
burned on the head; w. H. Joyce. engineer
Grand Trunk railway. badly burned on both
arms; w. H. Walbourne, chief of the
fire department, burned the neck;
Charles Dake. of the Dake House. burned
on the hands and back; Richard Woodruff.
back and neck burned; Oliver Norswortby, back
and neck burned; Archie Noteworthy. neck and
arms buried; OF Mr.. Potts, master me-
chanic Michigan Central railroad. was burned on
the neck, and scores of others who were taken to
their homes before their names could be learned.
Gangs of men, under the direction of Supt
Morford and Assistant Superintendent More
head, of the Michigan Central road, and ].
Stewart. agent for the Grand Trunk railway,
are hard at work removing the debris and it is
expected that the track will be cleared by day
light All the telegraph. wires were destroyed,
and several poles were burned. thus nterrupting
communicating.
The section; of the freight train into which the
engine of the passenger train ploughed con-
sisted Of twS cars containing tanks filled with
crude oil. and one car loaded with barrels or
fined oil. and almost before the passengers
heard the crash Of the collision. it was followed
by tremendous explosion, which could
be heard for miles A pyramid
OF red fire and black clouds
of smoke lowered up in the air, and in moment
sheets of fire reached out and enveloped the
cars. dwellings and warehouses 10 the vicinity
When the engine struck the oil tank 1t tore the
mani ole from the top and but q moment elapsed
before the oil was in blaze, and the roar
ing of the flames could be heard
all over the city. When the
collision occurred the engine bent, swayed
partially over, fell to the ground on the other
side of the Then shot NJ a column of
flames through the black smoke and cinders
that was seen twenty five miles away, accom-
panied by o roar oyerpowering all other sounds